Vitebsk region will take part in the IX Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia

The IX Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia will be held on June 30 – July 1 in Grodno.

During the preparation and holding of the IX Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia, the following are planned for signing:

  • Agreement between the Government of the Penza Region (Russian Federation) and the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee (Republic of Belarus) on the implementation of international and foreign economic relations in the trade, economic, scientific, technical, and humanitarian spheres;
  • Roadmap for 2022-2025 for the implementation of the Agreement between the Government of the Saratov Region (Russian Federation) and the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee (Republic of Belarus) on cooperation in trade, economic, scientific, technical, cultural, and other spheres dated June 30, 2017;
  • Agreement on Friendship and Cooperation between the Novopolotsk City Executive Committee (Vitebsk Region, Republic of Belarus) and the Administration of Ostrovsky District (Pskov Region, Russian Federation).

Within the framework of preparation for the Forum, the following have already been signed:

  • Protocol of Intentions for Cooperation between the Republic of Tyva of the Russian Federation and the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee (January 2022);
  • On 04/27/2022, an agreement on establishing sister city relations between the Orsha District of the Vitebsk Region of the Republic of Belarus and the city of Tver, Russian Federation;
  • On 03/11/2022, an agreement on cooperation between the Educational Institution "Vitebsk State University named after P.M. Masherov" and the Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Education "National State University of Physical Culture, Sports and Health named after P.F. Lesgaft, St. Petersburg";
  • On 03/14/2022, an agreement on cooperation between the Educational Institution "Vitebsk State Technological University" and the Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Education Bryansk Branch "Plekhanov Russian University of Economics".

During the preparation and holding of the IX Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia, 142 commercial contracts were signed by 28 business entities of the Vitebsk region. The amount of export contracts amounted to 3.8 billion.

Russian rubles and 3 million US dollars.

Vitebsk region maintains foreign trade relations with 95 countries of the world. The share of the Russian Federation in foreign trade turnover is 68.3%, including in exports – 35.7%, in imports – 87.9%.

According to the results of January-March 2022, enterprises of the Vitebsk region ensured a trade turnover with the regions of the Russian Federation in the amount of 1.3 billion US dollars, exports of products amounted to 248.9 million US dollars (growth rate compared to January-March 2021 – 102.4%).

Since the beginning of 2022, cooperation has been carried out with all Federal Districts of the Russian Federation, with export-import operations with 75 regions. The nearest regions of the Central Federal District, including Moscow, accounted for 65% of exports.

The main partners in foreign trade are: Moscow, Smolensk, Leningrad, Pskov, Rostov, Kaliningrad, Ivanovo, Belgorod, Vladimir, Voronezh, Nizhny Novgorod, Kaluga, Bryansk, Murmansk, Samara, Sverdlovsk, Tula, Irkutsk, Omsk, Chelyabinsk regions; Republics of Tatarstan and Bashkortostan; Krasnodar and Perm territories.

In the structure of exports to the Russian Federation, consumer goods prevail – 43.8%, including food products – 23.2%, non-food products – 20.6%; intermediate goods accounted for 42.4% of exports, investment goods – 8.2%. The annual volume of exports of food products to the Russian Federation is about 280 million US dollars.

The main goods supplied by enterprises of the Vitebsk region to Russia are petrochemical products (polyethylene, chemical fibers, fiberglass), dairy products, knitwear and garments, footwear, carpets, linen fabrics, machine tools. In turn, petroleum products, chemical products, grain, metals, leather, textile raw materials, consumer goods and equipment are imported from the Russian Federation.

Great attention is paid to strengthening the interregional contractual base with Russian partners; 26 bilateral agreements of the regional executive committee and more than 100 agreements of districts and cities of Vitebsk region are in force.

regions with the corresponding territorial subjects of Russia. Interregional cooperation with the regions of the Russian Federation specifies mutual events in both the economic and social spheres, and allows for the constant maintenance of dialogue between economic entities.

For reference:

In 2019, at the VI Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia, an agreement was signed between the Administration of the Kursk Region and the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee on trade-economic, scientific-technical, and socio-cultural cooperation.

During the preparation for the forum, more than 30 contracts with Russian companies were signed for a total of 40.6 million dollars. In addition to the traditionally in-demand dairy products, clothing, footwear, construction materials, fiberglass, water treatment facilities and equipment, and veterinary drugs are also popular.

In 2020, during the preparation and holding of the VII Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia, 146 commercial contracts were signed and planned for signing by 25 economic entities of the Vitebsk region. The amount of export contracts is 42.4 million dollars.

In June 2020, a Plan of Measures for the implementation of the Agreement dated July 18, 2019, between the Administration of the Kursk Region (Russian Federation) and the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee (Republic of Belarus) on trade-economic, scientific-technical, and socio-cultural cooperation for 2020-2023 was signed.

In 2021, during the preparation and holding of the VIII Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia, 159 commercial contracts were signed by 22 economic entities of the Vitebsk region. The amount of export contracts was 53.3 million US dollars. The following were signed:

A Plan of Measures for 2021-2023 for the implementation of the Agreement dated September 17, 2015, between the Administration of the Pskov Region (Russian Federation) and the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee(Republic of Belarus) on cooperation in the economic, scientific, technical, cultural and humanitarian fields;

Action Plan for 2021-2024 for the implementation of the Agreement between the Government of the Stavropol Territory of the Russian Federation and the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee of the Republic of Belarus on trade, economic, scientific, technical and socio-cultural cooperation, concluded on June 30, 2017;

Action Plan for the implementation of the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Belarus and the Administration of the Volgograd Region (Russian Federation) on trade, economic, scientific, technical and socio-cultural cooperation for 2021–2023.